Welcome to the website of the Family Knot(t)nerus Foundation

According to the latest genealogy data, there were 313 family members in 2003. And if we include spouses and widows, our family consisted of 487 people in that year. This includes also family members named Knottnerus Meyer. This last name can be found mainly in Germany, although around 1920 the Zoo director in Rome was also called Knottnerus Meyer.

Ancestor of the family is the minister Johann Knöttner, who was born around 1580 in Eger, the present Cheb (Czech Republic). It is certain that he worked as a pastor in Pfaffenhofen and Hagenhausen.

The name 'Knottnerus' is probably related to the German word 'Knot' that means a rock.

A more speculative explanation is that the name is of a Czech origin and related to the Czech word 'knot', which means: 'wick of a candle'. The image of a burning candle fits well in the family motto 'Consumor aliis serviendo', meaning: 'I am consumed by serving others'. A look in a phone book in Prague makes it immediately clear that the name 'Knot' is a common name in the Czech Republic.

We are working on the English version of all the text.